Adult Student Outreach
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Getting Started

Getting into UW-Whitewater

Tour the Campus

We offer a campus tour option for adult and nontraditional students. This tour is structured with the adult student in mind. The tours are usually scheduled weekdays between 8:30 am and 3:30 pm but other times can be arranged. If you are age 25 or older, or a non-traditional student, please register for a campus tour click here.

How to Apply to UW-Whitewater

To be considered for admission, you must submit a University of Wisconsin System Application for Undergraduate Admission. To help with this process please review the Admission section below before accessing the application website.

Any graduate student who does not enroll in a course for three semesters (one acamdemic year) becomes "inactive." To reactiave your status, complete the Reactivation Form and submit it to the Graduate Office. Click here for the Reactivation Form.

New Freshman- A student that has graduated from high school, but has NOT attended a college or university since high school.

Transfer- A student that has graduated from high school, enrolled at a college or university other than UW-Whitewater, and now plans to attend UW-Whitewater.

Re-entry- A student that has graduated from high school, attended UW-Whitewater as a degree seeking student, and now wishes to re-enter UW-Whitewater after an absence of one or more semesters.

Special - A student that has graduated from high school and would like to attend UW-Whitewater as a non-degree seeking student or as a "guest" student for six credits or less. or

You Are a Special Student If...

You can apply online at https://apply.wisconsin.edu/

For additional information consult Dave Hahn Assistant Director of Admissions - Adult, Online, and Veteran Coordinator at Hahnd@uww.edu or by telephone at 262-472-3157. Click here to visit the Admissions Website.

Priority Dates

Apply for priority admission by May 1st and be admitted by August 1st to enroll in fall semester. Apply for priority admission by December 1st and be admitted by January 15th to enroll in spring semester.  You can still apply after these priority dates, but these dates would ensure full enrollment in the next term.

Priority Consideration Date for FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is January 1st. Applications submitted after this date may be too late for many aid programs including Work Study, Perkins Loan, and Non-Resident Grant. Financial aid is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.


You've been admitted ...What's Next?

  • Advising and Registration
  • Sign up for Placement Testing Note: If you have not completed college level English and/or Math courses or taken the ACT or SAT test, contact our Testing office at 262-472-5613 to register for placement testing.
  • Pay $100 enrollment fee
  • Apply for financial aid

We look forward to having you as an adult student on our campus!

Financial Aid

If you need help paying for college financial aid is available. Financial aid provides money to help you meet your college expenses. For comprehensive Financial Aid information please click here to visit our website.

* UW-Whitewater school code is 003926.

Veteran Benefits

VeteranVeterans, reservists, National Guard members and dependents of veterans may be eligible to receive benefits for college. The Registrar's Office is the certifying office for veteran's benefits at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Please contact Amy Moore, Veteran's Coordinator and she can assist you in the initial setup and proper submission of appropriate documentation. Click here to visit the Registrar's Site

Arrange for Child Care

UW-Whitewater offers reliable and accessible child care on campus.  Visit our Children's Center Resources page to find out more.

Do I Need to Take College Placement Tests?

If you have not completed college level English and/or Math courses or taken the ACT or SAT test, you are required to take a college placement test. Placement tests are given in English, Mathematics, Arithmetic Skills, and Foreign Languages (Spanish, French, and German). The purpose of the placement tests is to provide the University with information to place students at the correct level of the students program.

For more information contact our Testing office.

Gain an overview of the test content and a sample practice test: Math | English

Credit for Prior Learning

We know as a nontraditional student you bring life and career experience to the classroom. Here is your chance to earn credit for it! At UW-Whitewater, students have the opportunity to earn college credits for their valuable work and life experiences.  Click here for more details.

Portfolio Option

Adult students may be able to earn credit for learning gained through years of experience at work, in military service, as volunteers, or in settings outside the formal classroom.

Click here to find out more through continuing education 

CLEP Exam

The College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) gives you the opportunity to receive college credit for what you already know by earning qualifying scores on an exam. Earn credit for knowledge you’ve acquired through independent study, prior course work, on-the-job training, professional development, cultural pursuits or internships.

Students successfully completing the exams can request credit at the college level. To find out which exams UW-Whitewater accepts for credit, visit the Click here for the Testing Office.

Majors and Minors

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater offers many majors and minors through its four colleges. There are many to choose from, and our Departments and Majors website offers more information about each, many of which include 4 year planning guides.
Click here to research available Majors & Minors »